Is it time for Milos Raonic to fire his Spanish coach Galo Blanco?

[Amelie Mauresmo]

I think Galo Blanco has taken Milos as far has he can from being ranked outside of the top 100 into the top 20. However, now it seems Milos has hit a plateau, and he's still a bit inconsistent. Milos movement has improved, his fitness has improved, but his return of serve needs more improvement.

I am not sure if Blanco is helping Milos to maximize his strengths.

One week Milos does well and then the next week he has a poor result like this week in Monte Carlo.

 

[jrs]

I think so - he needs a big player coach. I always felt Blanco is teaching him to play like small player. He needs a coach who will maximize his strengths - size and power.

 

[ollinger]

What's wrong with having a Spanish coach? Maybe he wants to learn it so he and Del Potro can become a doubles team and communicate more easily?

 

[thejackal]

so milos lost in a third set tiebreak on clay. so what

we ll see after wimbledon and the us open

 

[President]

Niemenin is a very good player, no shame in losing to him especially on a surface Milos may not be comfortable moving on yet.

 

[NLBwell]

I would think Blanco would be a good coach to help with Raonic's weaknesses. His strengths are good enough right now.

 

[NEW_BORN]

He should fire himself...

...up that is

 

[papertank]

Raonic doesn't need to be focusing on "big man tennis"- he is plenty good at that already. If he wants to reach the top, he needs to focus on rounding out his game and eliminating the weaknesses in his movement and backhand, and becoming more consistant in general. It isn't a lack of power or aggressiveness that separates him from the likes of Berdych and Delpo, it's his consistancy and movement.

 

[PhrygianDominant]

I think Blanco and Roanic still have a lot of work to do. Raonic is good but he can't rely on his strengths to take him any further than they already have. Working on his return, movement, and backhand with Blanco have brought him further, in my opinion, than a big man strategy.

 

[jrs]

Hitting a booming serve and then staying back to run around the backhand to hit forehand - seems like a waste of time and energy to me.

Raonic is a smart guy - so I'm sure he and his team will figure out the proper strategy. I am sure all these guys have access to the best tennis minds.

 

[gamesetmats]

Nieminen beat Del Potro today with some really good tennis so it would be a bit of an overreaction to think that he can't develop because of one loss to an in-form player.

 

[Amelie Mauresmo]

Yes Jarkko nieminen is a tricky player I know he's a good solid player.

However, I do believe that Milos return game needs a lot of help the strategy is wrong. Milos just tries to hit his returns so hard off the bat instead of trying to get the ball over the net and work a rally.

I see Milos slam too many balls into the net off of the return giving his opponent free easy points. Instead, what I would like to see is Milos maybe pulling back a little get the ball over the net, work the rally and then go for the winner when he has the opportunity.

I don't think Milos can be a serve and volley player in today's game it is too powerful. However, I do believe at six foot five Milos can be using his size to his advantage. Milos is a big man and with his height he could definitely go the net more.

Perhaps, this is the reason Milos plays doubles? Because Milos does volley well.

The backhand definitely seems to have improved slightly but Milos really needs to turn that backhand into a weapon. If he can improve the backhand more it is going to help him.

 

[yemenmocha]

never understood how a little guy could pretend to know a big guy's game. Surely that's some form of envy.

 

[The-Champ]

I thought raonic idolizes the great Sampras. Why the hell did he hire someone who slaughtered his idol at the FO?

 

[uncooling]

I think he should hire a new coach if he doesn't make it to 4th round at Wimbledon this year. But we can't say anything for now because he really didn't have much time to prove himself yet!

 

[Amelie Mauresmo]

I think Blanco and Roanic still have a lot of work to do. Raonic is good but he can't rely on his strengths to take him any further than they already have. Working on his return, movement, and backhand with Blanco have brought him further, in my opinion, than a big man strategy.

I agree, Raonic has a lot of work to do, he's done well to get into the top 20 since last summer. However, Raonic really needs to figure out how to get more consistent. The return game is the key I believe he hits too many balls into the net and he really needs to improve his backhand.

The movement I think has improved compared to last year I see an improvement he's working on it and will continue to do so.

 

[TennisDawg]

I'm not sure about a new coach. He seems very one dimensional to me. But, I admit, I can't watch him but a few minutes. He makes tennis look about as fun as reading an accounting ledger.

 

[Richie Rich]

maybe milos does not have the ability to perfect the weaknesses he has? i watched him net a match worth of returns last year at FO against Monaco. some improvement in returning since then but not much. maybe he has gone as far as his abilities allow him to? top 20 is no slouch.....

 

[Poisoned Slice]

@RS

Looks like it is the season for bumping old threads around here. Time we had a taste.

 

[Purestriker]

@RS

Looks like it is the season for bumping old threads around here. Time we had a taste.

BOLO issued for Milos?